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Remember Eega, the 2012 Telugu hit about a housefly seeking revenge on those responsible for his death in a previous life as a human? Back then, no movie enthusiast could avoid hearing about this offbeat action-drama. Netflix’s documentary Modern Masters: SS Rajamouli is most engaging when the director and others share anecdotes about making Eega and the monumental challenges of getting the special effects right. Rajamouli even jokes about how the special effects team had panic attacks over the project, with some behind-the-scenes footage playing for viewers.
However, the one-hour-and-14-minute Modern Masters: SS Rajamouli feels more like a generic, extended interview than a documentary, with a particularly bland first half. Besides Rajamouli, the documentary features interviews with many of his family members, including his father, V. Vijayendra Prasad, an established screenwriter and director. For fans who never looked into Rajamouli’s life, his deep-rooted film industry connections might come as a surprise. What emerges is a picture of a storyteller passionate about bringing his stories to life on a grand scale, often leading to his titles exceeding their estimated budgets.
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Prabhas and Rana Daggubati, who starred in Rajamouli’s blockbusters Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, share their insights on working with him. The duo discuss how the director would minimize overhead expenses, like hotels and meals, to allocate most of the budget to lavish sets and visual effects. “He would stay in the stupidest hotels to save money,” Prabhas says of Rajamouli.
Actors N.T. Rama Rao Jr. and Ram Charan, who co-starred in Rajamouli’s Oscar-winning historical drama RRR, also their share their insights on working with the director. Curiously, none of the leading ladies from Rajamouli’s films appear in the documentary, which makes it feel incomplete. It might’ve been entertaining to see Samantha, who won awards for “Eega”, to share what it was like to work with Rajamouli on a movie where a fly is the biggest hero. But well, just like his cinematic universe is dominated by men, so is this documentary.
From the vengeful little housefly to God-like war heroes, SS Rajamouli’s characters and stories have won over fans for his unique vision. However, unlike his well-crafted, entertaining movies, Modern Masters: SS Rajamouli is a halfheartedly executed documentary that feels like a PR Ad.
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